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WEIFANG CUP: Jets to battle Brugge, Chivas & Shandong

Tough tests against heavyweight clubs from Belgium, Mexico and China awaits a Newcastle Jets Youth Selection at the 2017 Weifang Cup in China this month.

The tournament is scheduled to kick off on Sunday 23 July 2017.

First up for the Jets Youth Selection will be a matchday 1 meeting with local outfit Shandong Luneng.

The next day Newcastle will back up against Mexican giants Chivas Guadalajara, before enjoying a day off from match play to undertake rest and recovery.

On Wednesday 26 July the Jets will play their final group match against one of Belgium’s top teams, Club Brugge.

Regardless of how the Jets Youth Selection fares in their Group Stage games, the team will play a further match on Thursday 27 July to determine the side’s final game of the tournament to be held on Saturday 29 July.

The Chinese U19 National Team, FC Tokyo (Japan), VfL Wolfsburg (Germany), and defending Champions Desportivo Brasil (Brazil) are among the sides that the Jets Selection could face from Thursday 27 July onwards.

The Newcastle Jets’ delegation for the 2017 Weifang Cup in China will be led by the Club’s Chief Executive Officer Lawrie McKinna, and 2014 AFC Champions League winner Labinot Haliti.

“This trip will provide 18 of the Club’s best youth players as well as several staff with invaluable international experience,” McKinna said.

“Our squad will play five high-class matches against top sides over seven days, and be exposed to the demands of traveling and playing abroad.”

“We intend to represent not only our Club but Australian football with distinction at the 2017 Weifang Cup,” he said.

Selected matches from the 2017 Weifang Cup will be broadcast across China on stations including CCTV, Shandong TV, Beijing TV, Tianjin TV, Fujian TV, and Liaoning TV. The tournament also attracts significant attention from the nation’s written press, which will provide the Jets with a further opportunity to positively build its brand in China.

Newcastle Jets Owner and Chairman Mr Martin Lee will fly the Jets Selection from Qingdao back to Shenzhen for two nights before the team returns to Australia in early August. Graciously, Mr Lee has also committed to cover the costs of accommodation and meals for any parents of the squad members who are traveling to China for the Shenzhen stopover.